Roger Federer French Open Interview from June 1stR. FEDERER/T. Haas 6‑7, 5‑7, 6‑4, 6‑0, 6‑2
Q. The question for the last month or maybe more has been, What does Roger have to do to beat Rafa? You don't have to answer that anymore, I guess. Are you relieved?
ROGER FEDERER: Um, he didn't retire, right? (Laughter) No, he'll bounce back strong. I'm convinced about that. Sure, it was a big upset, but I mean, the focus wasn't really there, to be quite honest.
Of course, my dream scenario is to beat Rafa here in the finals, but I gotta concentrate on my part of the draw and make sure I come through like today.
Tommy Haas was very good today, so this is where my focus was, and will be also in my next round.
Q. Being two sets down is difficult for any player on a five‑setter, but especially when Djokovic and Nadal had lost, did that put extra pressure on you? In the third set at 4‑4, he made a double fault when he had an advantage. Did that...
ROGER FEDERER: I don't remember. No, I mean, I thought actually I was playing ‑‑ serving all right, especially for a set and a half. You know, I was down a set but up in the second set. Unfortunately I got broken,I think it was 4‑3. That definitely made me a little bit nervous, you know, just knowing that I still haven't really found my range and my rhythm from the baseline.
Tommy was also serving himself extremely well, you know, and mixing up his game very well. So I definitely felt under pressure there. He played another pretty good game to break me and get the set and stuff, but I tried to remain calm.
In a situation like this, you don't really think about whoever is out of the draw or not. You just try to come through yourself, and it's hard enough, you know,to stay positive when you're down two sets to love and a break point.
It was a great battle for me, and I'm thrilled to be through and given another chance here.
Q. It goes without saying that you're a fabulous professional, and you're known for your focus. But you're a human being,too. Can you share with us what your thoughts were when your great rival lost? What went through your mind in terms of your opportunities and what you would have to do just with the whole psychological situation and the real situation of Rafa not being here?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I watched ‑‑ I only saw the last bit because I was practicing and in transportation. Soderling certainly played great when he had to towards the end. He didn't get nervous. Didn't look like it,anyway. He came up with the right play severy single time, especially in the breaker when it really mattered.
I mean, it just shows that it's hard, you know, to win day in, day out at a particular tournament. His incredible run stretches back to a few years ago. He won over 30matches in a row here.
It's a phenomenal achievement, but it just shows that we're all human. We all lose at some stage, and people always make it sound so simple since like five years,that it's normal that he wins on clay, I win on grass, and then we share the hardcourts. It's not just the way it is.
I speak firsthand, you know, knowing what it takes to dominate. You know, I think he knows that, too, already since quite a while. But it's I think the press that blow it up or hype it up a bit too much that you are invincible, unbeatable.
Tennis is not like this. You come out and you always have guys going after you, like Tommy Haas today, like Soderling yesterday. I think it only gives them extra motivation knowing that you're the guy to beat or ‑‑ they have nothing to lose, because if they lose, it's a normal result. If they win, it's an incredible achievement.
That's what Soderling was able to do, and it definitely creates some mind plays, I think, in some of the players' minds. You know, knowing that now their section is open. Mine hasn't been affected in a big way because I'm on the other side of the draw.
But I think for a lot of players over there, I think it must be quite a big opportunity, and their heads must be spinning right now.
Q. How much of this newly‑opened scenario is an opportunity, and how much of that opportunity is a burden?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I'm used to any kind of a situation, so it doesn't affect me in a big way.
Sure, you're aware of it. You try and stay in the draw, but,you know, at the end of the day you're focusing on your shots and your match and on how you play and the game plan against that player.
Not a whole lot more. I think if you make it to the finals then it's a different scenario. Because whoever I play in the finals I probably have a decent record against, you know,which wouldn't be the case with Rafa, knowing that he has all the experience and the confidence, you know, of winning here.
Definitely changes it up if I were to make the final. But we're not there yet, so honestly it hasn't changed a whole lot for me.
Q. 3‑4in the fourth when you have break point against you and you hit the inside‑out forehand for a winner. I asked Tommy about that. You know that much, maybe itgoes out and it lands in. I said, Long career. How do you feel about points like that? He says, That's just Roger Federer being Roger Federer. How does Roger Federer explain a shot like that at a crucial moment?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I was struggling throughout the first two‑and‑a‑half sets from the baseline. I was serving all right, and that was keeping me in the match. Again, swirly winds made it hard for both of us to keep the ball under control, especially that we both play so offensively. You know, the rallies were always going to be short.
That thing can stretch through a longer period of time not having any rhythm. I thought almost that it was my first good shot of the match. It came on a break point on the third set. I knew the significance that have shot, because I knew if I come out of that game I can create some opportunities later on and in that set.
I knew I was going to look back on that shot. That saved me on that day, you know. That's exactly what happened, and I was able to turn around the whole match. It's a great feeling, because I was in quite some danger right there.
Q. Could you just take us through your level in the fifth? For some of us, it was as good as we've seen you play on clay for some time. Were you very satisfied with the way you finished off the match?
ROGER FEDERER: Yes, and, you know, like I said, I think I played actually pretty well against Acasuso to come out of that one.
I think the conditions were rough against ‑‑ with the daylight, the sun, the shadow and the winds against Mathieu. I came out of that match not knowing exactly where I was. That's kind of how I felt also in the first couple sets against Tommy Haas.
Now that I won the last three sets, you know, that I just played, I feel much better. I think it would have been different having, let's say ‑‑ had I been up two sets, lost two sets, and then winning the fifth.
But like this, you know, I really felt like I was getting stronger as the match went on. Of course, he didn't put up maybe the ‑‑he didn't play his best set in the fourth set when I won 6‑Love.
But still, I was able to put him away there. And when I really needed to play well, I really found my A game in the fifth set. That was a great feeling to get, and I hope that can inspire me to play actually really nice tennis in the next round.
Q. On the other side of the draw now, Andy Murray is now seeded to get through to the final. Do you see him getting there, and do you see him as your biggest individual threat now?
ROGER FEDERER: Not really. I mean, sure, he has a good chance to make the finals, you know. But then at the same time, I think Davydenko has it, you know. I mean, he's been written off a little bit. I've been disappointed that I haven't heard much about him, you know, because he's a great player.
He was in the top 4 fora long time. He was unfortunate with some injuries. So he couldn't keep his ranking because of that, not because he was losing first rounds all the time. I think that's why he's actually got a great chance of going forward.
Then we have other players, too. But I think the draws are wide open on the other side right now.
Q. For younger players, how difficult is the pressure to deal with, the fact that when players like Rafa have gone out, that maybe people are now expecting Andy to go all the way?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I think it's the same for all the players right there, you know, to be quite honest. It's like if you've just beaten a great player, and then you have to back it. Like Kohlschreiber has to do or Soderling has to do.
It's not an easy task,because how often does it happen in your life? It happens just a few times, and it's hard to back them up. I went through it when I beat Sampras at Wimbledon and then lost to Tim. I didn't play that bad against Tim, but youjust realize that not only Sampras can play tennis, but Henman can and there are so many other players that play so well.
Just because you beat this one particular player, it doesn't mean you're going to now beat everybody easily. That's where it's hard mentally to be able to shift. Yourself you have to keep on playing dream tennis, and that's a hard thing to do sometimes.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.
Q. I'd like to know about Mirka or Séverin Luethi. How did they react to the fact that Nadal was ousted? What did they say? Did they say this was your year?
ROGER FEDERER: No, they didn't really say something like this. You see, I watched the match with my physiotherapist. Like any other match, he was down two sets to zero, and I watched the end of the match.
That's all, because I'm a fan of tennis. We were impressed by Soderling's game. But Séverin, Mirka,and the others never came to me saying, Now you have to win this match, otherwise you will never do it, ever.
No. By the way, this is not what I wanted to hear, and this is not the irreaction. I'm really happy, because we stayed calm. It's normal, because I have a very harmonious team, which is what we need.
Q. Today there was this first set when you didn't lose any points on your serve, except two points when there was a tiebreak. On the contrary, there was the very important tiebreak during the third set. Would you say that mentally it was the most important thing?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, mentally it is very important; that's true. But it's a combination of many things. You know, you can't learn how to hit the ball this way on a break point. It's because I've practiced; I've trained. It's also a bit of luck.
But I had to stay calm at the right moment and try and go for it. You know, you can be more of a defensive player, but then if you do this, what's going to happen is that the opponent is going to have the choice. He's going to choose his shots.
As, you know, I try and attack more. I want the luck to be on my side, and the good thing is that I hit the ball really normally and well at that moment. I managed to remain more or less calm. I was very much relieved afterward, because then I served well and managed to gain the first game point.
But mentally, it's very important,you know, to be strong, to go through these moments, and then reuse this experience later on. That's what I was thinking about. It's even more difficult than winning any other points.
Q. What about this break point, you know, this forehand that was really close to the line? A few millimeters from the line. What would you say about this? Because sometimes it's a question of millimeters.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, we know that, for instance, on grass. But also on hard courts,sometimes. It's a question of a few points only, few centimeters to finish a match.
On clay, it's less the case, you know, because we have more margin, more leeway, so things could have changed. You know, there are more breakpoints on clay than on any other surfaces, so there's always this thing.
You always think that the match could change, even though the other one is leading the match. It's more difficult to break if it's 5‑4 and the other one is going to serve for the match. It's more difficult to win the breakpoints.
Q. Have you got a cold, a runny nose?
ROGER FEDERER: Just a little. Not much.
Q. Is it because of Roland Garros?
ROGER FEDERER: I've always had a cold, you know. I've always ‑‑ caught cold in my life. It goes and comes and goes and comes very quickly. No, it's not very serious.
Q. You said it would be a dream to play against Nadal during the finals. Now, if you win today or if you win Roland Garros, would you say that there would be less intensity compared with Nadal?
ROGER FEDERER: No, never mind who you're going to play in the final, and as long as you win. So can you ask me the question another time.
Q. I have another question that has nothing to do with this match. Mirka is very important in the life of Federer. How important is it to have such a wife as a player?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, Mirka, you know, the first two years we were together she didn't really travel that much with me because she had her own career. We met in Miami and the Grand Slam tournaments or matches, and then unfortunately she was seriously injured. She had to wait.
You know, there was a period of rehabilitation. Then when she had to go through the surgery or operation, it was not easy for her. But frankly, she decided very quickly to dedicate or to give up her career to focus on mine, even though today she still hurts.
I mean, her foot operation didn't go on really nicely, so it was easy for her to give up and say, Okay, I'll stop my career and I'll have my husband.
Now I think she is supporting me at the right moment, because, you know, I won Wimbledon in 2003, and that's when she didn't really know what to do with her career. She didn't know if she would try it or not.
That's when she started helping me with the hotels, the plane tickets. I had no managers at the time. That's when she started dealing with the press, as well. It was a lot for her, I know, but she would protect me from many things.
And now, after wards, it was better. It was easier and she was with me day in and day out, throughout the world, and she helped me considerably, as a person, you know. I developed faster,grew faster with her. Thanks to her I was very calm in the important moments in my career. She was always here, always supportive. I owe her a lot. It's normal.
Q. You might play against Gaël Monfils who you defeated last year. Would you say this season he plays better and stronger? And how would you explain this?
ROGER FEDERER: We'll see if he manages to defeat Andy Roddick, but I think he's fit. I've not seen or watched all of his matches, all of his sets, but I think he plays really well.
He was injured, you know, considering this. I know Gaël now. I've played several times against him. He's always got his ups and downs. You know, his attitude, as well, is up and down. You never know what to expect with Gaël.
But his game is quite solid now. He's calmer than he was in the past when he would play his first Roland Garros tournaments.
I think this is going to help him,because it's not five sets each time for him for the first two rounds. I think he's fit. But what I saw is that it's going to be tough for Roddick today.
Q. Today the crowd was supporting you, whereas yesterday they were supporting Soderling. How come?
ROGER FEDERER: I was not here yesterday on the stadium, so I don't know. It's difficult to explain this. Well, maybe Soderling was very much into the game. He was dictating the game, which is always something that people like. He would take the risks, so maybe that's one of the reasons. I don't know.
And then, you know,unfortunately sometimes when someone is too much of a winner, then people are not really against you but in favor of the other player. You know, I saw that in 2006 and 2007 when I was not really losing at any moment.
When I would lose a set, then it was like a big show for the crowd. This is something that you have to experience one day or another. But this time I don't know why they were supporting me, even though the other player was doing better.
Q. When did you realize there was a turnaround in your favor?
ROGER FEDERER: After this big forehand, the inside‑outpoint. I said, That's a turnaround. That's a turnaround, the inside out. The forehand. Otherwise I was not thinking about this. I was not really playing well from the baseline and I didn't have enough pace, but that's due to Tommy Haas.
His game was really good. I was in a very tricky position, I must say this. But that's when I thought I have all the assets in my hands to change this match, and that was the case.
Interview from RG
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